Starting mechanism for gas-engines.



J. P. NIKONOW.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR GAS ENGINES, APPLICATION Fl-LED DEC. 29. 1914.

Patented June '12, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- INVENTOR E WITNESSES: A 0 Jo/m Q/W/rmom gazc J. P. NIKONOW.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR GAS ENGINES,

APPLICATION FILED DEC-29 1914.

Patented J1 1Il6 12, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR John D Niko/70M ATIORNEY WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN 1. NIKONOW, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it lmown that I, JOHN P. Nmoxow, subject of the Czar of Russia, and a resident of Wilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Starting Mechanism for Gas-Engines, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to starting mechanisms for gas engines, and it has particular reference to such mechanisms as embody screw-threaded shafts for controlling the operative connections of starting motors to the engines of automobiles or other motor vehicles.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and convenient arrangement whereby a starting mechanism may be applied to the engine shaft of a motor vehicle in an efficient manner.

In the application of starting mechanisms to the engines of motor vehicles, difficulties have often been encountered because of the small available space adjacent to the engine or the fly wheel. If the connecting mechanism is adequately protected by casings or housings, the various parts are almost inaccessible for inspection or repair.

According to my invention, I employ a starting mechanism comprising amotor which. is operatively connected to a screwthreaded shaft for actuating a pinion into and out of mesh with the fly wheel gear. The screw-threaded shaft is provided with an intermediate bearing atthe outer end of a housing which incloses the gear mechanism. A spring, which connects the motor to the screw-threaded shaft and is the part most easily broken in case of back-firing of the engine, is outside the housing and is readily accessible for repairs or replacement.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view, partially in elevation and partially in section, of an internal combustion engine with my invention applied there'-.

to. Fig. 2 is a view, similar'to Fig. 1, of a modification.

An internal combustion engine 1 only a,

Specification of Letters Patent.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR GAS-ENGINES.

Patented June 12, 1917.

Application filed December 29, 1914. Serial No. 879,488.

a shaft 9 that extends over the fly wheel 2.

The shaft 9 is surrounded by a hollow screwthreaded shaft 10.

The shafts9 and 10 are connected, at their outer ends, by-a coil spring 11 which constitutes a yielding driving connection between the motor and the engine when an operative connection is established. A pinion 12 is mounted upon the screwthreaded portion of the shaftlO and is provided with corresponding screw threads for coacting therewith. The pinion 12 is also provided with a weighted portion 13 that is eccentric to the axis of the pinion and tends to prevent rotation of the pinion when the hollow shaft 10 is rotated by the motor. The reduction-gear mechanism and the inner portions of the shafts 9 and 10 are inclosed by a housing 11 having, at its outer end, a bearing 15 which supports the shaft 10 at an intermediate portion. The spring 11, which, as previously stated, is the part most easily broken in case of back firing of the engine, is exposed in a convenient place for inspection or repair.

Normally, the several parts are in their respective illustrated positions with the pinion 12 at the inner end of the screwthreaded shaft 10 and out of engagement with the gear teeth 3. To start the engine, power may be supplied to the motor by any suitable means (not shown). The shaft 10 will be driven by the above described mechanism which connects it to the. armature shaft. Because of the inertia of'the pinion 12, the shaft 10 rotates relatively to it and the pinion will be actuated to the left to effect its engagement with the gear teeth 8. When the parts are fully meshed, the pinion 12 will have reached the end of the screwthreaded portion and will thereupon rotate with the shaft 10 to crank the engine.

When the engine starts under its own power, the fly wheel 2 will rotate at a higher rate of speed than that at whichit was driven by the pinion 12, and the pinion will overrun the shaft 10. This relative movement causes the pinion 12 to be actuated to the right to its illustrated position, and the motor is thus disconnected from the engine. The circuit of the motof'may be broken by the operator at any time after the engine has started.

In case the respective teeth do not register when the pinion 12 is actuated to the left,

the spring 11 permits arelative movement of the shafts 9 and 10 so that the pinion 12 may'rotate temporarily without advancing on the shaft 10 untilthe teeth are in proper position for meshing. This arrangement avoids the danger of damage to the coactin gear teeth which would be caused if a rigic l driving connection were employed.

A modification is illustrated in Fig. 2, in which like numerals are employed to designate corresponding parts. In this form of my invention, the motor 4 is connected by a pinion 7 and a gear wheel 8 to a shaft 16 which corresponds to the shaft 9 in the mechanism of Fig. 1. The shaft 16 is rigidly connected to a short shaft 17 that has a bearing in the outer end of a housing 18. The shaft 17 is connected to a screw-threaded hollow shaft 19 by a spring 11.

The operation of the mechanism of Fig. 2 is similar in all material respects to that of the mechanism 'of Fig. 1, and a description thereof is accordingly omitted. An advantage of this form of my invention over that previously described is that the length of the mechanism is decreased because no space is required for a bearing at an intermediate portion of the shaft 16. A housing incloses the entire mechanism for connecting the motor to the engine shaft.

An important advantage of the mechanisms above described is that the motor may be mounted very near to the plane of the fly wheel, and a comparatively small part of the space at the side of the engine is occupied by it. As at present constructed, very little space is available in this part of a motor vehicle so that an arrangement whereby even a small amount of space is saved operates to greatly simplify the application of the starting mechanism. This is accomplished in the present invention by arranging the shafts 9 and 10 to project beyond the gearteeth 3, thereby enabling the motor to be mounted closer to the fly wheel than is possible in the usual construction.

I claim .as-my invention:

1. In a starting mechanism, the combina tion with a motor, a driving shaft operatively connected thereto, a hollow shaft surrounding the driving shaft and having a. screw-threaded portion, a pinion for coacte ing with said screw threaded portion, and means for connecting said shafts, of a housing for said pinion having a bearing for a gear wheel coacting with said pinion.

2. In a starting mechanism, the combination with a motor, a driving shaft operatively connected thereto, a hollow shaft rotatably mounted on the driving shaft and having a screw-threaded portion, a spring for connecting said shafts, and a pinion for coacting with said screw-threaded portion, of a. housing for said pinion having a bearing for said hollow shaft between said spring and said screw-threaded portion, and a gear wheel for coacting with said pinion.

3. In a starting mechanism, the combination with an engine, a gear Wheel operatively connected thereto, and a pinion, of means for actuating said pinion into and out of mesh with the gear wheel, said means comprising a hollow screw-threaded shaft, a shaft within the hollow shaft, a spring for connecting said shafts, a bearing for said hollow shaft at an intermediate portion, and means for actuating the other shaft.

1. In a starting mechanism, the combination with a pair of coacting gear wheels, of means for shifting one of said wheels, said means comprising a motor, a driving shaft,

a hollow shaft rotatably mounted thereon, and having a screw-threaded portion at its inner end, means for connecting said shafts at their outer ends, and a housing having a bearing for said hollow shaft at an intermediate portion.

5. In a starting mechanism, the combination with a pair of coacting ear wheels, of means for shifting one of said wheels, said means comprising a motor having a driving shaft, a hollow shaft rotatably mounted thereon and having a screw-threaded portion at its inner end, means for connecting said shafts at their outer ends, and a housing for inclosing the shiftable gear Wheel and having a hearing at its outer end for supporting said shafts.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 21st day of Dec,

' 7 JOHN P. NIKONOW. Witnesses:

I'IARRY T. GEORGE, B. B. HINES. 

